Life Goes On
by Dark-Angel-Cronos
Summary: Ch2 Up! Life goes on for Naruto and friends. After a very crazy incident with Sakura and Sasuke things seem to be calming down. But for how long? NaruXHina, Angst, Romance, Sequel. A Sequel to Angst of a Ninja.
1. Chapter 1

Life Goes On  
Chapter 1  
DAC

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If i did everything you're about to read would probably be true.

Authors Note: This is the direct sequel to Angst of a Ninja. If you like this first Chapter I may be more inclined to post another until this is completed. If not well then I'll take my sweet time.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hinata slept peacefully in a reclining chair in Kiba's living room. She was hanging out with Kiba and Naruto today but was just too tired to stay awake. It had been just so tiring this past week with all the courtroom bullshit. Sakura's family had gotten a very classy lawyer to help defend her just as Hinata's family had gotten one for Naruto. Both discussed a lot of legal matters and eventually the whole incident between Naruto and Sasuke as well as Kiba being stabbed in the stomach was settled out of court with both parties feeling very little justice served but agreeing to this stalemate to protect themselves. After all, one battle doesn't decide war.

"What are we gonna do Naru?" Kiba was shaking his head as he watched the news. They whole story had been playing across the local news for weeks. He listened intently as the broadcaster took calls from concerned citizens.

"What do you mean?" Naruto was sitting on the other end of the couch from Kiba and not paying one bit of attention to him. Naruto was tired of all of the courtroom bullshit and just wanted some peace and quiet with his friends. They had been suspended from school while all of the legal matters had taken place and would have to be going back Monday morning. Today was Saturday.

"You know exactly what I mean. Come Monday morning everybody's gonna think we're psychopaths who attacked the rich girl Sakura. Look at this they're calling us hoodlums and vandals and I'm the one who got stabbed!" Kiba was outraged as an elderly sounding lady protested that today's youth was a bunch of miscreants bent on ruining the community.

"Oh cool it Kiba-san. Nobody believes that crooked story but the mass enduced public. The people who really matter have already shown us support. Almost all of our teachers, Shikamaru and Temari's familys. Hell even Sasuke's older brother Itachi and their friends Shino and Gaara aren't taking that bitches side. There's no need to worry about school!" Naruto was tired of all this. All he had heard all week was how terrible the whole thing was and how everybody was their for support. Well he knew it was terrible he was there and not only that but what type of support where they offering him if he had only seen them all once since that day.

"Naru… What about Hinata… She's taking this pretty hard too. The media's making her look to be an even worse guy than you. I mean her family's finally done something interesting rather than just be old money now. The media's spreading large amounts of scum that she's ring leader of some group of vandals…" Kiba didn't get to finish what he was saying. Naruto's eyes where too piercing. They silenced Kiba immediately.

"… I'm going to the park…" Naruto stood from his place and left slamming the door in his wake.

"Huh?!" Hinata stirred at the slam of the door and nearly fell out of the recliner. "What the hell is going on!" Hinata looked at Kiba tired and confused. Kiba just returned a silent and saddened smile getting up to help her to her feet then follow after they're foolish friend.

"Just your boyfriend being brash and abrasive again…" Kiba chuckled.

"Oh…. I told him to stop that. He's not some kind of scrubbing pad that can just scrub my troubles clean and gone by being all moody and upset." Hinata laughed and moved with Kiba to follow Naruto.

Naruto was sitting at the lake looking out across to the horizon. The sun was almost gone and the sky had darkened significantly since he arrived. Hinata and Kiba sat up the hill and away from Naruto and the edge of the lake watching him making sure he wasn't doing anything stupid.

"You think he's gonna be okay? He hasn't moved in hours…" Hinata rocked on her bum clutching her knees to her chest.

"Don't know… Maybe he's dead and already gone stiff on us?" Kiba tilted his head in a playful manner just to have Hinata smack him really hard straitening it out.

"Not funny…." Hinata sighed and placed her chin between her knees.

"Oh…..sorry Hina-chan…."Kiba felt bad he didn't realize how quickly he had made that joke not considering what had happened this prior week.

"It's okay…." Hinata sighed again.

"Hey….you two gonna come down here or shall we call this a night?" Naruto leaned back and looked up at the two of them. A sudden change in persona had taken over him and he felt all the grief he had been contemplating build up just too much and now it was released and gone as he breathed a deep breath and then exhaled towards the stars.

"Huh" Both Hinata and Kiba looked very surprised to see Naruto move. The street lamps blinked on now just as it seemed almost too dark to see.

"Looks like we'd better get home. The street lights are on!" Naruto hopped up and walked up the hill reaching for Hinata and Kiba's hands to help them too their feet.

"Naruto!!" Hinata sounded shocked as she rose.

"Yes love?" He kissed her softly and pulled her in close. "What is it we need to get home? You're staying with me this weekend right?" Naruto smiled and wrapped another arm around Kiba's shoulders. "You too buddy?"

"uhh…..suuurree…" Kiba seemed slightly taken back he didn't realize Naruto had planned to spend the night with either of them,

"Huh??" Hinata seemed confused. She didn't get what Naruto was playing at.

"GREAT! Then let's get going back to my house!" Naruto smiled wide and ran forward. Hinata and Kiba chasing him as he ran.

"Wait Naruto! What is up with you?" Hinata grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. Naruto starred back blankly.

"I just want to get on with our lives. So what people think differently of us. The important thing is that we got each other and we'll survive anything that comes our way. I mean it can't get worse right?" Naruto shook his head and looked almost pleading with them to agree with him. "Right…."

The three friends stood for a moment before all smiling.

"Right!" Kiba jumped on naruto warping his arms around his friends neck and messing up his hair.

"Okay." Hinata smiled and hugged them both as she used her wait to spin them around.

"Woah!!" Naruto started to feel the three of them fall. Kiba and Hinata didn't care and dragged him down into the dirt. "God damn guys" Naurto laughed aloud smiling at his two friends as they had him pinned.

"Just promise us one thing!" Hinata looked at Kiba and they knew they where thinking the same things.

"Huh what's that?" Naruto look up at them confused.

"Don't leave us hanging like that again? We're friends. We'll stick together no matter what." Kiba finished Hinata's thought.

"…. Is that what you guys where worried about? Me… leaving you guys out of my thoughts and what I planned to do?" Naruto laughed and looked at them as they nodded. "… Oh guys…. I'll never do that again…. I promise" He smiled and then they headed off.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors Note: Alright. There we are. New story with a new start? Hope you guys like this. I have a good idea of where I can take this. And I'll be sure to work out some of the kinks of the old one. Such as almost irrational character behavior.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Chapter 2

Life Goes On  
Chapter 2  
DAC

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did everything you're about to read would probably be true.

Authors Note: This is the direct sequel to Angst of a Ninja. Sweet time taken, chapter 2 up. Hope ya'll like it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke sat quietly in Michiyo's house waiting Shino and Gaara to come home. Sasuke hadn't gone home since the incident. Itachi was very angry with Sasuke and told him that if he was going to be reckless and do stupid shit like fighting for a bitch without a cause then he wasn't welcome in his house. Itachi did after all own the house since their parents passed away. Sakura gladly opened her arms to Sasuke and took him into her home the day after the incident but Sasuke quickly put an end to that and said he needed to be away from anything involving what had happened and moved in with Michiyo, Gaara, and Shino.

"Sorry, about all this…" Sasuke spoke for the first time that day. Nobody was around to hear it though. Michiyo was in the kitchen and only vaguely responded.

"What? Did you say something Sasuke?" She peeked her head around the corner and looked. Sasuke didn't say anything and continued to just stare at the floor. "Oh come on. Cheer up! The three of us have decided you can't be this broken quiet mess anymore." Michiyo walked over to him and knelt down beside him. "Come on I know I heard you. None of the TV's are on so you had to have said something."

"… I'm… sorry…" Sasuke whispered it so softly it almost didn't seem audible.

"Huh… what? Why are you sorry Sasuke…" Michiyo was confused.

"I… I'm just a burden on you. I mean I've been hanging around so much. You haven't had any time for Kazuma… and… well… the whole situation. Its' bad…" Sasuke seemed tired as he spoke. He lowered his head and sniffed.

"Huh? A burden? What the hell are you talking about. You're my best friend! And what's so bad about the situation? You're not with Sakura, and you just over reacted cause of how you saw Naruto beating the shit out of her. You're not in any trouble now, and hell I bet Naruto and everybody else will forgive you if you just give them a chance." Michiyo lifted his head with her hand she was worried. He had been so depressed since all the legal matters had been resolved and it seemed like he was slipping away.

"…. But… I'm still keeping you at home…. You haven't been out with Kazuma in weeks…..and…the others… they live here too and they seem to stick around a lot because of me…. it's fine if Naruto and them forgive me…. But what about… Itachi…he kicked me out… I'm just so alone" Sasuke pulled away from her and stood up walking towards the bathroom.

"Oh come on! Okay listen. Kazuma and me haven't been seeing each other since the incident because he decided it'd be a good idea to jump into some snuggle warmness with some slutty snow bunny he met on his vacation. The others are just as worried about you as I am! And Itachi… Sasuke I know he's your brother but come on…. He's a jerk…he didn't listen to anybody who was actually there and trying to explain the situation."

"Well yeah but still… wait… What??" Sasuke was taken back his face contorted with confusion as he looked at her. "You… broke up…. With Kazuma?"

"…well… yeah… I mean… he cheated on me…" Michiyo blushed. She leaned back and away letting her brown hair cover her eyes. "He… said he loved me…. And then went and cheated on me…. I'm just glad his little brother Kazua told me before I got any more involved with him…"

"I'm…. so sorry…. why didn't you tell me…" Sasuke looked down then proceeded to blow his nose with the tissue he had come in there for.

"Well! You were so upset about the whole incident that you just… never… seemed like…. I… couldn't really….. ugh well it never came up!" Michiyo was slightly flustered. They had gotten way of subject and she wasn't about to turn this into anything about her.

"…." Sasuke was silent. "…"

"What… quit staring at me like that…" Michiyo twitched a little. Sasuke had a confused and sad look on his face.

"…we're…. still just friends right…" Sasuke seemed sad as he said it. But his voice didn't plead for her to disagree. It pleaded for her to agree. He liked Michiyo but he couldn't take this again. Not so soon.

"Well yeah…. I mean… I'm single… but… it's not like you asked me out or anything… I mean yeah you live here and all but.. Grah It's just cause you needed a place to stay! Nothing more! No alternative motives!!" Michiyo waved her hands infront of her face and gave him a sheepish smile.

"…" Sauske was dumb-struck for a second before he began to laugh uncontrollably

"What!" Michiyo looked at him angrily "It's your fault I'm flustered! STOP LAUGHING!" Michiyo was raged now as she was about to swing at Sasukes head when the doorbell rang.

"uh… That's probably our friends. I'll go get it." Sasuke darted around her and moved to the front door opening it just to have himself stunned by what he saw.

"Guess who we found walking up to the front door as we were!" Shino and Gaara smiled widely as they stood on either side of the familiar figure.

"Hello, brother. How have you been…" Itachi's mellow tone seemed off putting. It wasn't usual for him to sound so serious.

"Itachi-sama…." Sasuke felt his knees grow weak.

"Sasuke! What are you doing let them in!" Michiyo ran up just to stop as she saw Itachi standing in the doorway. "Oh…"

"Bad timing?" Itachi seemed rather sad and confused now. Slightly fearful that maybe it wasn't the best idea to come by.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke was almost angry, but the sadness in his voice overwhelmed that by far.

"Because… I wanted to apologize for kicking you out and invite you back home…" Itachi spoke solemnly.

"What…" Sasuke couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everybody else remained quiet and seemed to fade back a little so that the spotlight dimmed only on the two brothers.

"… You see… I watched the news the other day and saw some newly released footage of you and Naruto fighting… It seems you came to Sakura's rescue but I could tell you weren't with her when she arrived… You had nothing to do with the incident besides being there at a bad time… I didn't listen to you or anyone else about you not being apart of this… I thought you had gotten in with the wrong crowd when I saw you with her… So… I… assumed the worst and I was stupid. I'm sorry Sasuke."

"…." Sasuke didn't know what to say.

"Please… come home…" Itachi felt grief. He hadn't meant to hurt his brothers feelings and understood that abandoning Sasuke like he did was just about the worst thing he could have done. He too missed their parents but not the same way Sasuke did. No… he missed them but didn't feel a longing to be a family still. Sasuke on the other hand did. And as his older brother he needed to realize that.

"…." Sasuke didn't speak. Instead he just stood there. Everyone else moved in closer to Sasuke and wait for his answer.

"Well… little brother?" Itachi knew what was coming next.

"….no….Itachi…." Sasuke looked up at his brother slightly angry, but not as much as he had been. "I won't… not… yet…I'd rather…. Stay here… with my friends…" Everyone was taken back a little.

"As you wish… I'm glad….you've grown….you're not so foolish anymore…" Itachi smiled a bit and left.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Authors Note: Yay Itachi's not mad anymore and I've progressed to the point where Sasuke OC pairings work! Lol Okay well this doesn't really enlighten us on the new storyline but I promise it's important for us to set ground work here. Also for the timeline nuts this is happening same day as the Naruto part in the last chapter.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


End file.
